[Sawyer]

Me again.

I have one puppy - but by the way he treats my kids it's like I have two. My one year old has this wonderful gentle puppy who lets baby investigate his ears and mouth and lets him take toys from him. This puppy never bites only licks and always sits when he's near baby and never takes anything from baby. My 4 year old, on the other hand, has crazy unruly puppy who steals and chases and bites - hard, might I add. My 4 yr old is no whiner but at times the puppy, Sidney, scares him. I NEVER leave my children alone with the puppy but as you know, puppies are quick, and I swear ours thinks my 4 yr old is a littermate. I've read your advice on playbitting - but what about playbitting on my child???? Hubby, me, and baby don't have a problem with it - it's only my 4 yr old. Sidney goes crazy for him. I tried an exercise today in which I allowed my son to be the crazy 4 yr old that he is - you know, loud, fast, looney - and I held Sidney's coller so he couldn't chase him. I swear you would think I was torturing the poor pup - but eventually he gave up and sat calmly with me and baby while my oldest broke out into his rendition of Island in the Sun and really cut up a rug. Sidney did great and life was good. But then I got up to grab a sippy cup and in a matter of seconds there was Sidney on top of my son making up for lost time.
I love that my puppy my loves my son and vice-versa but I cannot allow my son to be a giant chew toy!

[skelaki]

You need to issue a motivational correction, one appropriate to your pups size and age, every time he decides your four year old is chew toy. You also need to teach your four year old how to play appropriately with the dog. Let him help you with the dog's training under your supervision. This teaches the dog that your son is above him in the pack hierarchy.

If the dog does nip, your son should say ouch in a high pitched voice and then stop all attention and contact, including visual, with the pup for a few seconds. You as the Alpha, do what the pup's mother would do, tell him no bite in a low, growly-type voice and, if necessary give him a scruff shake.

[Onlinek9]

The best advice I've read on this is for your son to stand still like a statue and cross his arms on his chest. (Think Egyptian mummy, one hand on each shoulder)Then call for you to come help. Make it a game like freeze tag. Every time pup jumps, he freezes. The crazy running will only escalate things with pup. I wouldn't allow them to play together until you or Hubby has taken pup out and really tired him out. I would guess pup is better with baby because baby is quiet and calm and doesn't run around a lot. As long as your son can take all the fun out of playing the way the pup currently is (by freezing and not running) and then you can either give pup a time out or make him sit or lay down. Something with structure, then over time he should learn that playing that way makes all the fun stop! Good luck! (any way to see that rendition of Island's in the Sun?! )

[Sawyer]

Thank you for the replies! One of the difficulties is getting my son to freeze when Sidney playbites because he instintively runs. We are working on that. He's also doing well with training and Sidney listens to him normally but he's got blinders on when he thinks it's playtime!

I'll try your advice and def be more consistant!! Thanks again for the replies.